Autocrossing

This is the fourth time I've started this post. I really don't know what to say, so I'll just give my account of things. Yesterday, my parents got up at 6:30 on a saturday to drive from Charleston to Clemson. In the back seat of our family truck was a set of black 17x8 Enkei RPF1's with 245/45 ZR17 Dunlop Star Specs with the chemicals still clinging to the rubber. My first sponsorship, and the beginning of much high-speed mayhem. They were on their way to the last spring autocross for the CSCC this year. With a paddock of 65 people, we were allotted 5 runs per person divided into 3 run groups. I ran in the third for my parents. The first run consisted of me sliding and fighting my way through the course, mom riding shotgun. She handled herself well, other than pulling the emergency brake in panic. She went for run two and was done. My friend Zach G. (who has attained disgusting amounts of control in our crappy little club car) rode for runs three and four. My fifth run was the fastest, but still not quite where I wanted it to be. I ended up with tires that are properly worn in and an overall placement of 39th, 10th out of 12 in my class. Things I've learned: 1. New wheels and tires change every dynamic of a car. The looks, the grip, the turn-in, the acceleration, the braking... Everything. 2. I expect too much of myself and my beast and 3. I am surrounded by the most supporting friends and parents I could hope for. I thank my friends for making me feel better about losing to them and my parents for driving a total of 8 hours yesterday just to bring me my sponsorship incentives. Having talked to many of the people who have teams and race specific cars, I feel like I'm on the right track to be a driver/engineer/hotrodder. This is my dream and with the help of the people I surround myself with and a lot of hard work and perseverance, I can become just that. So thank you to my sponsor: Wholesale Wheel in N. Charleston, thank you to the people who keep me going, and thank you to my amazing family. I couldn't have done it without ya'll.

UPDATE! Well my good friend Patrick McGinnis is a photographer and got the last of his pictures up on his website. there were four of my car and I. We had a standing bet that if I could three wheel my car in front of him and he got the shot, he'd send me a print of it. Lo-and-behold, with the new rubber getting worn in by the late runs and Zach's extra weight on the passenger side, there it is. My left rear tire exiting the sweeper is ever so slightly off the ground. The print goes in the mail today, and I'm going to practice to find ways to make more stunning and dramatic shots for him. Patrick's site: http://jpmcgphotography.smugmug.com/

Keep the motor running.

Nothing to do with cars.

So I saw this on a friend's blog, figured i'd pick out my favorites too. It's the little things that keep you sane.

3. soft skin

4. old family recipes

12. a handwritten letter

13. waking up in a good mood... for no real reason

14. singing in the shower

37. the wind in your hair

41. a long walk that clears your head

59. sunshine

64. sitting in a booth

68. when someone falls asleep with their head on your shoulder

72. slow dancing

81. a pull through parking lot.

see which suit you: http://shine.yahoo.com/event/makeover/101-small-pleasures-you-can-enjoy-every-day-1125425/

Keep the motor running!

Inspiration/ Why we do this

Call it a muse, call it whatever you want, but everyone has one. Whether it be the sunset, misery, or want of someone you can't have, something moves you to do what you do. The problem with inspiration is that it needs an outlet or it can make you explode. Have something to express yourself. Being too incompetent and lazy to learn to create music, too uncoordinated to paint/sculpt/dance/play sports and too shy to sing or act, it wasn't until recently that i found my outlet. I share this art form with all the other true gear heads who punish themselves and their machines whenever they can. The weekend warriors, pushing it farther than they thought possible. I wish I could take an aerial picture of the courses and tracks we destroy. You can see what they were thinking if you look closely. That trail of dust on the exit of turn 3? He got a little too hot headed, let the anger drive him. Emotion can help if you can channel it into the car. I've gotten to the point that anger can make me faster. That burning heat of adrenaline in your veins, I'd imagine it's the same feeling Musicians get when they're belting out whatever melody is causing people to be locked in that venue. It's the feeling a Dancer gets on stage throwing themselves around with grace. This is my art. Love it or leave it, but don't hate it. It keeps me sane.

Keep the motor running!

The Importance of Tires

Ok, I have tried to explain why tires are one of the most important things you can upgrade on your DD/track car or any car for that matter. They shorten braking distances, make the car grip and handle better, and make acceleration cleaner. So here's an analogy for those who still don't get it:

Driving on All-Season/worn out tires is a lot like trying to play Basketball in cleats. Having proper performance tires is like throwing on your Jordans and schoolin some haters haha.

In conclusion: seeing wear bars? tires hunks of crap? replace'em! Best thing you can do for safety and performance.

Decisions Decisions

My dad has been saving up some money and is still getting his assets in line, but he really wants to get a race team together. He doesn't want to focus on any one style of racing, AutoX, RallyX, track days. Anything to go fast and get squirrely. We have focused on RallyX recently, but the sport is new and events are few and far between. The closest event to our humble abode in charleston is once a year, 3 hours away in Cheraw SC. So although rally is my true passion, it looks like I'm sticking to the pavement. So what to get my hands on? Well, my dad's porsche is setup for AutoX, so we have a car for that. My car is fairly versatile, but has to be my DD, so i can't put it on track. Drifting takes way too much money in tires, and i'd have to prep a car for that. So where am I left? A turbo'd B16 honda wagon w/ 4WD would be amazing and cheap for RallyX. Oh how I wish I could lay my tracks down, leaving the trails of dust and mud in the afternoon air, sliding at full throttle, feeling the G's of a car beyond the edge of grip being manipulated with my right foot and my hands. One day, I will, but for now, I just have to wait.

Keep the motor running

A new direction

so, since nobody has yet read my posts, i've decided to just rant about things i see. Mostly car related, but we'll see where it goes.

Mixed Feelings: The Hyundai Genesis Coupe

A lot of recent awards here considering the car is new for 2010. I saw one of these on campus today and one thing caught me off guard; i liked it. The way it sounded, the way it looked, the way it moved. It's a whole new animal from a company that i have a deep-rooted despise for. Hyundai has always been known for their unappealing, ugly, and not so economic econo-boxes. Ever heard the song "Gold-Digger"? Even in main stream music, Hyundai catches a bad rap. So what's the difference? Money. After 63 years as a legitimate car company, Hyundai has made enough money on those little crap sleds to pay for the R and D to move in the direction it has in the last year. The Genesis Coupe and Sedan are brilliant. The coupe, designed and piloted by Aussie Rhys Millen, has set world records at pikes peak and is a very solid contender in all forms of motorsport it enters, including time attack, Formula D drift, etc. For a car to do that in it's first year in production means that it is very well designed. FROM THE KOREANS? Since when? Since last year. Watch out for KDM genesis's (or genesi?) and suzuki something or others (because Hyundai has opened the door, suzuki can't be far behind), and KIA's with the same formula. One gripe I have is that out of the box, the Genesis Coupes will be almost identical. There isn't much customization available. Regardless, a shift in the tuner/import scene is upon us, so no more hatin'. Just try to keep up.

Check it out @

http://www.hyundaigenesis.com/

UPDATE: ok, so I have talked to a few people who have driven these more than I have. They say it's very reminiscent of new Corvettes: very quick, very grippy, very dead. They say it has no feedback. Yes that can be fixed with a few major modifications, but this blog is about stock cars, so i have to give it a thumbs down. Sorry Hyundai, sorry Rhys. Just, no.